Gun sight



335261 1989Os478 SR Dec. 13, 1932.; H, E, WALE 1,890,478

GUN SIGHT Filed NOV. l2, 1931 8 '8 345s Sfzfbzfi "NTMW i5... E W y- ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1932 lUNITED STATES HERBERT E. WALE, F BREMERTON, WASHINGTON GUN SIGHT Application filed November 12, 1931. Serial No. 574,625.

My present invention relates to the art of rifle shooting and more particularly to a gun sight such as is used for instance as a front sight on a rie.

It is wellknown that years are required to train and develop the expert rifle shot. Range shooting must also be considered as a separate branch of shooting in that it requires the riiieman to take into consideration every possible source of error, briefly, one of the most serious errors of the average rifleman is the fact that his rifle is not held so that the aXis of the bore is in the same vertical plane with his line of sight. Now on a high power long range riie this is very important. Because of the high pressure the rifle barrel is required to resist, it is swelled near the chamber so as to resist these high pressures. This makes it necessary to elevate 26 the line of sight considerable above the axis of the bore. The trajectory of a rifle is of the general form of a parabola and at the longer ranges has a maximum ordinant of several feet.

Now if the rifle is canted under these conditions, the shot may strike several feet from the point of aim. In my sight I have provided a plurality of horizontally disposed wires which are enclosed within a box-like 3() standard which is provided with accurately machined vertical sides. With this arrangement canting can be so easily observed even by the beginner, who too often allows his sling to twist his rifle slightly.

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide a box-like support for the front sight of a sighted firearm adapted to assist in aiming` the arm.

A further obj ect is to provide cant indicating means.

A further object is to provide range finding means within my sight.

Another object is to provide an opening immediately belowT the front sight so that 1.5 the target number will be readily observed.

A further object is to provide a front sight base and means whereby the sight member itself can be readily replaced with another p which may be more suitable for the type of fire, it is desired to deliver.

A final object is to provide an easily placed and adjusted hood and such a combination of aids as to enable a rifleman to deliver the highest type of fire with the minimum instruction and practice.

Other and more speciic objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my 60 sight in place upon a rifle.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through the center of my front sight.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view along 65 the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5 5 of Figure 3. 70

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing a modiiied mount for my sight.

Referring to the drawing, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, numeral 8 designates the sight base or 75y frame which is necessary with my type of sight. This maybe secured near the muzzle of a rifle in any of the manners at present used. Many riiies employ a notch cut into the metal of the barrel. In the high powered ries, however, it has been found desirable to use a sight base which is secured to the muzzle of the rifle either by brazing or welding thereto or by using a band which entirely encircles the rifle barrel. In the 35 preferred form I have indicated in my drawing 10 represents the rifle barrel itself which is provided with the encircling band 12, which in turn terminates in the sight base proper 8. In the alternate arrangement as indicated in Figure 6, I have shown my sight frame as engaging the sight base by a dovetail slot and key indicated at 14, and which is provided with the usual securing screw 16.

It is customary to secure the band 12 to 95 barrel 10 by shrinking the same in place and inserting a key as 17 to prevent it revolving upon the barrel. A locking pin is then driven through the barrel and key to hold the latter in place.

Frame 8 is provided with two upwardly extending plates 18 and 20 which I provide with parallel interior surfaces 22 and 24: respectively. It is very essential that these side walls be parallel to the vertical plane through the axis of the bore. Secured into side walls 18 and 20 at accurately spaced intervals are the horizontal cross Wires 26 and vertical wires 28.

Now a sight of this general character is always used with a rear sight preferably with a peep sight, consequently if the eye looks through the small opening in the sight it is in effect measuring a definite angle between each spaced wire. Now if an object is known to have a height, of say six feet, fills two spaces it can be accurately calculated just what the range to that point will be. It of course, is not intended that a rifleman shall make any such calculation but with this range finding equipment available he will soon find the distances indicated by varying heights on his scale.

I prefer normally to make all the openings the same in order to simplify the estimation of ranges. This estimation of ranges is necessary when firing at unknown ranges, otherwise the trajectory of the rifle will place the shot either above or below the point aimed at.

It has often been found desirable to use a thin walled metal frame 30 within frame 8 and to anchor the sighting wires in the same. This makes repair of the sighting wires a simple matter and further permits easy interchanging of wire combinations. To lock frame 30 in place I have found it convenient to use a locking stud 32 secured to a spring member 34. Spring 34 is preferably eut from the thin metal wall of frame 30 as is illustrated in Figure 3.

I further provide a locking opening 35, within side wall 22 into which spring 3a is adapted to urge stud 32. Many uses of the crossed wires in frame 30 will occur to the riileman aside from range and cant determination chief among which is probably the increased number of sight points. Each of the squares formed by the wire crosses may be used as an aperture front sight and in this way the rifleman has in the frame, as shown in Figure 2, twelve sight points. This gives him an opportunity to make windage and range variations of a known amount without any sight adjustment, a very valuable and desirable condition when firing at game or in War, for instance, at unknown ranges.

This sight arrangement very effectively takes the place of a battle sight on a military rifle. For instance, the blade sight might be for, say 100 yards, the first cross wire 500 yards, the second 1,000 yards, etc.

Disposed at the upper extremities of side plates 18 and 20, I have provided my sight proper 36. The exact style of sight used is often varied by the rifleman for various types of shooting and the fancies of various riflemen are so varied that I prefer to have the sight easily interchangeable. In the present instance I have providede a V-slot at 37, and secured the sight in place by screw 38 which is tapped into the upper surface of side plate 18.

Disposed immediately about the sight and concentric with the upper extremity thereof, I provide the sight hood 40. This is adapted to engage longitudinally disposed slots 4:2 which are formed in outwardly extending portions of side walls 18 and 20. This hood I normally prefer to form of spring material which can be given a black nish and which will lend itself to blackening as by soot and the like.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawing are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a front sight for fire arms, the combination with a base and a pair of vertical side walls supported thereon, Qfalgrnoyable means on the sight frame and one ofwsvaid walls for retaining the sight-frame, a removable sight-plate mounted in the side walls above the sight-frame, holding means for the silght-plate, and a sight-piece on the sightp ate.

2. In a front sight for fire arms, the combination with a base and a pair of spaced side walls supported thereon, of a removable sight-frame, a laterally projecting, springpressed retaining stud mounted on the sightframe and engaging a complementary hole in a side wall, a removable sight-piece mounted in the side walls above said sight-frame, and means for holding said sight piece in fixed position.

3. In a front sight for iire arms, the combination with a base and a pair of spaced side walls supported thereon, of a removable sight-frame and crossed wires therein, a latterally projecting, spring-pressed stud mounted on the sight frame and engaging a hole in one of the side walls, said side walls having opposed grooves above the sightframe, a sight-plate having tongues to fit said grooves, a sight-piece on the sight-plate, and means for securing said sight-plate.

4. In a front sight, the combination with side walls one of which has a hole therein, of a rectangular sight frame and crossed wires therein, a spring-blade on the sight-frame, and a retaining stud on said blade engaging said hole.

5. In a front sight, the combination with a base and its spaced, vertical side walls rising therefrom, of a rectangular sight-frame of resilient metal, crossed Wires mounted in the frame, an integral, spring-blade fashioned in said frame, a laterally projecting stud on said blade engaging a hole in one of said Walls, said side Walls having opposed grooves above the sight-frame, a sight-plate having tongues to fit said grooves, a sightpiece on the plate, a screw for securing the sight plate, and a removable hood over said sight-piece.

In Witness whereof he hereunto subscribes his name this 4th day of November A. D. 1931.

HERBERT E. WALE. 

